ARMM to construct women peace, training centers

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 22 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will set up a total of six women peace and training centers, one in each of the region’s five component provinces and at its seat in Cotabato City.

The peace and training center is intended to cater to all the women in the region especially those affected by conflict and other related issues.

It will provide various materials on gender and development and can serve as safe house for victims of violence against women. 

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said the women peace center is aimed not only to provide capacity building on gender and development but to also to train women to be economically empowered.

“We need to capacitate and train women to go beyond poverty level,” Alamia said.

All six centers will be funded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) with other forms of assistance from ARMM’s Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women (RCBW) and Department of Public Works and Highways.

It is in line with the government’s Localizing the National Action Plan (LNAP) on women, peace and security program in the ARMM, which targets to bring national programs to grassroots level, especially in conflict-affected areas.

Sittie Jehan Mutin, RCBW-ARMM chairperson, said that by 2015 the six women peace centers will be completed and operational. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM

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Children in a remote village receive school supplies from ARMM

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 8 (PIA) -- Close to 400 pupils in Lower Baguinged Elementary School in barangay Talitay, Datu Montawal town, Maguindanao received bags and other school supplies from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Sunday, December 7.

ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Alamia, together with the team from Proud Emergent and Empowered Pinoy (PEEP), a people’s organization, turned over learning materials and ten bancas as means of transport for pupils who live in communities along the riverbank and in the Liguasan Marsh.

The school, which is around 20 meters away from the Rio de Grande river bank, is regularly flooded. 

Alamia said the regional government will look into ways to assist the school.

“The community and our teaching force are very happy to receive this assistance. We are thankful that ARMM officials have finally visited the place and see the condition of our school and children,” said Fatima Abubacar, head teacher.

Abubacar said the children continue to attend school despite the perennial flooding they experience.

“The support of their parents serves as inspiration to our pupils to do well in their studies despite the tough situation they face,” Abubacar added.

Alamia meanwhile urged the local government to send proposals to avail of assistance from programs like the Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Security and Synergy (HELPS), a flagship program of the Hataman administration. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10)

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19 barangays in ARMM receive medicines, birthing equipment

MARAWI CITY, December 5 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), through its Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Governance and Synergy (HELPS) program, recently distributed  supplies of medicines and birthing equipment to 19 barangays in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, ARMM executive secretary, said the medical supplies will be provided to the birthing clinics or health facilities located in outlying barangays in the region to help “decrease maternal and infant deaths.”

ARMM HELPS is the region’s banner program that aims to bring a convergence of government services closer to constituents through the delivery of integrated and enhanced interventions in identified barangays.

Among the nine recipients in Maguindanao is the highland community of Barangay Tubak in Ampatuan town. Its household population of 516, composed mainly of the Dulangan-Manobo tribe, is about four hours away from the nearest health facility.

Barangay captain Mario Kadingilan said it is the first time in the 50-year history of their barangay to receive government projects being provided by ARMM HELPS.

He said the health facility, supplies and equipment given by ARMM mean they no longer have to travel for hours to seek medical attention.

Anwar Upahm, ARMM HELPS project manager, said 10 other barangays in Lanao del Sur also received similar medical supplies and the same will be distributed to recipient communities in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Taw-Tawi.

He said the health component package of ARMM HELPS to the 53 barangays across the region includes construction of health or birthing facilities and the provision of medical supplies and equipment. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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Govt officials, CSO's hail Hataman's SORA

MARAWI CITY, December 3 (PIA) - Government officials and civil society organizations hailed the second State of the Region Address (SORA) of Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for its substance and concrete indicators of reform happening in the region.  

Father Eliseo “Jun” Mercado, executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) lauded Hataman for his passion to bring the people to a unified direction through a solid roadmap.

“The SORA was very impressive. Pinakita niya kung saan siya nagsimula, kung ano ang pinatutupad, at kung saan siya patutungo. Yun ang pinakaimportante,”Fr. Mercado said, underscoring the concrete milestones achieved under the Hataman administration.

 

Gauging the Hataman leadership on a performance scale of one to 10, Fr. Mercado said Hataman deserves a 9.

 

Guiamel Alim, chairperson of the Consortium of the Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), also commends Hataman for introducing reform and building the foundation for change in ARMM governance. 

“The social contract with the civil society is continuing. We laud the Hataman administration for the instituted reforms,” Alim said.

Meanwhile, Mohaquer Iqbal, information chief of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said “all systems go” for the establishment of the Bangsamoro new political entity.

“We will build on the gains of the ARMM under Hataman, then, we’ll see to it, that when the Bangsamoro is established, there will be much improvement as far as the life of our people is concerned,” said Iqbal.

On the challenge posted to continue the reforms, Iqbal said “that remains a challenge to cope with,” affirming that the ARMM has moved forward with the Hataman leadership.

Secretary Teresita “Ging” Quintos-Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process said the ARMM administration records and accomplishments attest that Hataman has carried the responsibilities expected of him.

“Masaya talaga tayo na itong term ni Regional Governor Hataman from the time na na-appoint sya na OIC and his elective term na iyun na nga ang ginagawa, ang maitawid ng husto ang ARMM doon sa inaasam-asam na Bangsamoro,” she said.

Deles, together with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin of the Department of National Defense, were among the national dignitaries present during the delivery of the SORA. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)

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ARMM cooperatives can now avail Pag-IBIG loans

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 1 (PIA) - Members of registered cooperatives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) can now avail programs and benefits from the Home Development Mutual Fund or the Pag-IBIG Fund.

 

This was made possible through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) inked on Friday, November 28, by ARMM’s Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and Pag-IBIG Fund’s Cotabato office.

"Ito ay bahagi ng pagtutulak sa dapat ma-avail na services ng mga cooperators tungo sa pagkamit ng ARMM na masagana’t mapayapa (This is part of our efforts to provide cooperators the services they should be able to avail towards a prosperous and peaceful ARMM.)," said CDA-ARMM Administrator Abdulrashid Ladayo, Sr.

Members of the six thousand registered cooperatives all over ARMM will now be registered to Pag-IBIG and be able to avail of its services.

 

Services include provident savings and various loan schemes like calamity, salary and housing and others.

"I commend the efforts of the present administration for always aiming to improve the lives of their constituents," said Manolito Olegario, Pag-Ibig Southwestern Mindanao Area Head.

He said the agreement signed will not be affected even if ARMM will be replaced by Bangsamoro government.

"All our efforts are geared towards the coming of Bangsamoro," Ladayo added. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10

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